PRIVACY ENHANCEMENTS FOR WIRELESS DEVICES

摘要

A wireless device can obtain a network information record from another device operating as a credential source. The network information record can include network access information for a wireless network (e.g., SSID and password) and a usage policy specifying conditions under which the wireless device should search for the wireless network (e.g., temporal and/or spatial conditions). The wireless device can implement the usage policy by searching for the wireless network only when the conditions are satisfied. In some instances, the network access information can include instructions for dynamically generating time-varying network access information, and the wireless device can use the instructions to generate network access information during a search for wireless networks.

主权项

1. A method usable in a wireless device, the method comprising:
obtaining a first network information record for a first wireless network, the first network information record including network access information for the first wireless network and a usage policy specifying a condition under which the first network information record should be used; storing the first network information record in a set of network information records for known networks; and searching for a wireless network to join, using the set of network information records, wherein searching for a wireless network to join includes:
determining, based on the usage policy of the first network information record, whether the condition is satisfied; andsearching for the first wireless network only if the condition is satisfied.